‘When did Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj become Kotak?’: Cong leader slams Mahayuti

Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant criticized the Mahayuti government for renaming metro stations with corporate brands, accusing it of commercializing revered names.

MUMBAI: Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant on Saturday launched a blistering attack on the Mahayuti government comprising BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP, accusing it of “insulting gods, deities and great icons” by allowing corporate brands to prefix the names of metro stations dedicated to them.

‘When did Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj become Kotak?’: Cong leader slams Mahayuti

“When did Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj become ‘Kotak’? Has Siddhivinayak now been sold to ‘Lombard’?” Sawant asked at a press conference, taking aim at what he called the BJP’s new form of “corporate Hindutva”.

He pointed out that in the Mumbai Metro Line 3 network, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus has been renamed Kotak Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, while Siddhivinayak Station is now called ICICI Lombard Siddhivinayak Station. Likewise, Mahalaxmi Station bears the name of HDFC Life, and Acharya Atre Station has been tagged with Nippon Mutual Fund.

“For the sake of money, this government has allowed the commercialisation of revered names,” Sawant said, demanding that chief minister Eknath Shinde, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, and deputy CM Ajit Pawar clarify their stand.

Sawant alleged that the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) had long used religion and nationalism for political gain and were now “marketing gods and goddesses” for corporate partnerships.

“To distract people from issues of farmers, workers, women and unemployment, the BJP has resorted to identity politics,” he said. “They renamed Allahabad to Prayagraj, Faizabad to Ayodhya, Delhi’s Rajpath to Kartavya Path, and Race Course Road to Lok Kalyan Marg. But since they are allergic to Pandit Nehru, even his name has been erased from the Nehru Science Centre Metro Station.”

When contacted BJP chief spokesperson Keshav Upadhye, he claimed, “Congress has no authority to speak on this issue as it continued the names of the stations given during the British era. Mumbai’s development and response of people to Metro-3 has upset Congress and out of frustration it’s making such kind of allegations. We have kept names of stations as it is.” said Upadhye.